Former Navy Secretary Urges Action to Spare Coventry JROTC Program

COVENTRY, RI—The effort to transition Coventry High School's JROTC program into the Navy National Defense Cadet Corps program has gotten support from former U.S. Secretary of the Navy Ambassador J. William Middendorf.

Middendorf, who served as USN under President Gerald R. Ford, sent a letter to Assistant Secretary of the Navy Franklin R. Parker this week urging a hold on the school's application to be released.

"Students in the JROTC program are anxious to know whether they will be able to continue as a Navy NNDCC program when their Air Force unit ends on June 30 of this year," Middendorf, a Tiverton resident, wrote.

Middendorf's letter comes after the ambassador met with Coventry Rep. Sherry Roberts, who has been fighting to save the program from elimination.

Students were told last year that the JROTC program was being closed due to low enrollment. The program was unable to recruit the 100-plus students it needed.

The NNDCC program has a lower enrollment requirement of 50 students, which should be easy to meet. But the application has been held up in Washington, D.C. due to federal budget issues, Roberts said, despite getting favorable reviews from lower-level Navy leaders.

Coventry's application is held up with nearly two-dozen other applications from high schools across the country.

The potential loss of the program would be a huge blow for the Coventry school community, which has long boasted one of the most successful and comprehensive JROTC programs in the state.

Over 42 years under the Air Force JROTC program, school officials report 3,000 students provided more than 10,000 hours of community service.

Inside the high school, an impressive cache of trophies and awards won by the drill team are on display.

While Middendorf's letter alone won't break the lock in Washington, local leaders are thankful to have the weight of his voice joining the chorus.

"“I am absolutely thrilled by the Ambassador’s support and letter,” Roberts said.